Ingredients:
250 g butter
1 cup castor oil
5 eggs
260 g ( 1 cup) chopped glace pineapple
285 g ( 1 cup) chopped glace apricots
180 g ( 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
2 cups plain flour
1/4 cup brandy
150 g (2/3 cup) finely glace cherries
1/2 x 200 g roll marzipan paste
To Decorate:
3 oranges
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp water
2 tbsps sugar, extra
mint leaves
egg white
Toffee-Dipped Brazil Nuts
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp water
6 Brazil nuts
Directions:
Line base and side of a deep 20 cm round cake pan with 3 sheets of paper, bringing paper 5 cm above edge of pan.
Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer only until combined. Beat in eggs one at a time, beat until just combined. Stir in pineapple, apricots and walnuts. Stir in half the sifted flour and the brandy, then stir in remaining flour. Spread half the mixture evenly into prepared pan, sprinkle with cherries. Roll marzipan into a 20 cm circle, press over top of cherries. Spread remaining cake mixture over marzipan.
Bake in slow oven for about 2 1/2 hours. Allow cake to cool in pan. Dust cake with sifted icing sugar, decorate with orange roses, mint leaves and toffee-dipped Brazil nuts.
To Decorate:
Using a small sharp knife, peel a strip of rind from just below the top of each orange and a strip from just above the base; curl each strip around to form a rose shape, secure with toothpicks, as shown. Place roses into a saucepan, cover with water, bring to the boil, reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes or until tender; drain.
Combine sugar and water in saucepan, stir over heat, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved. Add orange roses, toss gently over heat until most of the syrup has evaporated. Transfer roses to a plate, sprinkle with half the extra sugar, dry at least 1 hour, carefully remove toothpicks. Brush mint leaves with egg white, dust with remaining sugar.
Topped-dipped Brazil Nuts:
Combine sugar and water in saucepan, stir over heat, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil; boil rapidly until syrup turns golden brown; remove from heat. Using a teaspoon, dip nuts into toffee, place on lightly oiled tray, allow to set.
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